SOME WORKS ON AMEHICAN BUTTERFLIES. 31 



butterflies of the same region as the present work, but in- 

 cluding also the Southern States east of the Mississippi. 

 201 species are included in the work, w^hich is preceded by 

 an analytical key for the determination of the species, but 

 which is largely based on color; the genera are now^here 

 characterized except in this key, and there too vaguely or 

 scantily to be of much assistance. The early stages are 

 treatel of only under the species, the descriptions being 

 compiled and condensed from preceding writers. 



The third * is called a manual and covers the whole 

 North American field north of Mexico; but it is difficult 

 to understand how it can Avell be used as such, as it con- 

 sists of bare descriptions of the species, with scarcely the 

 slightest aid to discovering the genera; consequently one 

 may have to wade through the whole to find the one sought. 

 Its redeeming features are the cuts, which, though very 

 rude, are generally confined to some characteristic part, a 

 single wing or even a part of a wing. 625 species are 

 given, and each of the woodcuts contains several figures. 

 The plates are exceedingly poor. No attention whatever 

 is paid to the early stages. The work reflects no credit 

 upon the author beyond his industry. Nor does an earlier 

 work, by the same,t on New England butterflies, in which 

 an attempt is made to characterize the genera and higher 

 groups and some little attention is given to the caterpillars 

 and chrysalids; for the work is so filled with errors as to 

 be quite untrustworthy, and the figures so very poor as to 

 be available only when the butterfly has little resemblance 

 to any other; when most needed they are of least use. 



The histories of our butterflies, however, are by no 



*A Manual of North American Butterflies. By C. J, Maynard. 

 8vo. Boston, 1891. 4 + 226 pp., 60 figs., 10 pi. 



fThe Butterflies of New England. 4to. Boston, 1886. 4 + 68 

 pp., 8 pi. col. 



